An exploration of real-time environmental interventions for care of dementia patients in assistive living

Patients in the early stages of dementia are often subject to a variety of dangerous symptoms and behaviors including depression, wandering, and aggression. These conditions severely influence both quality of life and the degree of caretaker intervention that is necessary. Non-pharmacological interventions can alleviate these symptoms in some cases and are preferred as an alternative to medication when possible. This paper explores alternatives to the traditional definition of intervention, wherein the involvement of a caregiver is assumed, using a new modality wherein interventions are automatically instigated in response to conditions detected by physiological and behavioral measures. The environment is automatically manipulated in these methods in response to detected symptoms, intervening without the immediate assistance of a caregiver.